Malaysia - Free education in Malaysia is possible: SMM Chairman

Free education is possible. The Government can afford to provide education without any costs to its citizens from "cradle to grave" claims Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) chairman Muhammad Safwan Anang.

"The country is rich with natural resources and with tax revenues amounting to RM169 billion (S$69.4 billion) last year, the country can fund students in public institutions of learning," said Muhammad Safwan.

He explained that students did not need to take loans from government agencies like the National Higher Education Corporation Fund (PTPTN) or the corporate sector to get an education if the government spends wisely.

"When the budget was tabled, RM50.1 billion was set aside for the education sector this year of which only RM12.1 billion was allocated for higher education," he said at a press conference for the "Abolish PTPTN, Demand Free Education" rally to be held on April 14.

Muhammad Safwan also said that more than 350,000 students had taken loans amounting to RM6.1bil since its inception.

"The government could be using the RM6.1 billion allocated to the PTPTN to provide free education instead," he said.

Muhammad Safwan said that if education was a priority and beneficial to the nation, then the Government must be willing to spend more in this sector.

"If countries like Sri Lanka and Mauritius can give their students free education, why can't we?

Even student transportion is free in Mauritius," he said.

He also pointed out that private higher education institutions that were mushrooming around the country were making the situation worse.

"With so many education providers and competition, education is being turned into a commodity. It is big business these days," explained Muhammad Safwan.

He added that over 5,000 students and youth will be expected at the rally in Dataran Merdeka..

Also present at the press conference was Mandeep Singh, the first PTPTN loan recipient to sue the agency.

"It is disheartening to see so many Malaysian youth in debts soon after they walk out of universities and colleges," said the former bank officer who left his job to become a fulltime activist.

The web administrator for the Abolish PTPTN Club facebook page said that this generation of youth was becoming the debt generation.

"Since I've been through it and I know what it's like to be in debt, I do not want future generations to suffer the same fate," he added.

Mandeep filed a defamation suit against PTPTN where he alleged that they had been careless in blacklisting him.

Representatives from the Free Education Movement, R. Saratbabu, Malaysian National Muslim Student Association (PKPIM), Muhammad Afiq Asyraf Soepirman and Malaysia Reformist Student Club (Karisma), Muhammad Hafizuddin Abdul Mukti were also present.

In a separate event in Temerloh on Friday, Bernama quoted PTPTN chairman Datuk Ismail Mohamed Said as saying that it had allocated RM5 billion in loans for students pursuing their tertiary education this year.

Ismail said the allocation was part of the government's agenda to empower national education.

"Of the total, RM3.37 billion was given to existing PTPTN loan recipients and the rest, to new recipients," he told reporters after opening the SMK Kuala Krau Parent-Teacher Solidarity Council here.

He said PTPTN had disbursed loans to 1.95 million students, totalling RM43.60 billion from1997 to February this year.

In his speech earlier, Ismail, who is also Kuala Krau member of Parliament, also called on parents and teachers to convene regular meetings to improve the education system.

"The solidarity council is the best platform to improve the children's education especially in primary and secondary levels," he said.

Aminuddin Mohsin | The Star/Asia News Network

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